Synopsis
On his way back from Troy, Odysseus encounters many obstacles including his voyage to the Land of the Lotus Eaters, temptation of the Sirens, and a fight with a sea monster. In book 9 however,
Odysseus and his men end up in the land of the Cyclops. The men end up getting trapped in the cave by Polyphemus, the Cyclops. They escape by poking Polyphemus' eye out. However, Odysseus still takes the time to brag and make fun of Polyphemus. Polyphemus tells the god Poseidon how Odysseus poked his eye out and mocked him, so Poseidon he makes the journey back for Odysseus even more difficult. The theme for this book is to not have hurbis, as that is one of the main reasons why Poseidon is angry at Odysseus.
Odysseus Stabing Polphemus
Character One of the main characters Odysseus meets is the Cyclops. The Cyclops name is Polyphemus which means “everywhere famous”. Polyphemus is the son of the god of the seas, Poseidon. Polyphemus is a significant character because he traps Odysseus in his cave and then Odysseus stabs Polyphemus in his eye. This encounter with Polyphemus slows down Odysseus’s journey, because position is angered by Odysseus actions. Polyphemus doesn’t show up in any of the other books.
“The hearts inside us shook, terrified by his rumbling voice and monstrous hulk” (Homer 219).
“So we seized our stake with its fiery tip and bored round and round in the giant eye till blood came boiling up around that smoking shaft and the hot blast singed his brow and eyelids round the core and the broiling eyeball burst” (Homer 223).
“Hear me Poseidon, god of the sea-blue mane who rocks the earth! If I am your son and you claim to be my father come, grant that Odysseus, raider of cites, Laertes' son who makes his way home to Ithaca, never reaches home” (Homer 228). Characters in book 9 Odysseus: Son of Laertes, king of ithaca main character in the Odyssey. Cicones: Trojan alies living in thrace. Zeus: God of sky and weather, king of gods. Posieden: God of seas. Polyphemus: The cyclops son of Posieden.
Polyphemus
Structure
In book 9, Odysseus is talking about his encounter with Polyphemus with the Phaeacians. Therefore this is a flashback. This is a flashback because he is talking about events that transpired in the past. Another example of figurative language used is stock epithets. The very title of Book 9 In the One eyed Giants cave is a stock epithet because The one eyed giant is obviously the Cyclops, Polyphemus. Another example of a Stock Epithet is the god of the sea-blue mane; this means Poseidon, because he is the god of the sea hence, sea-blue mane.
Posieden attacking Odysseus's boat
Geography
During the book In the One-Eyed Giant's Cave, Odysseus doesn't meet the Cyclops right away. It occurs after Odysseus is tempted by Calypso, his men plunder Ismarus, and get tricked by the Lotus-eaters. Eventually they are stranded on a remote island belonging to the hungry Cyclops. The island is beautiful, fertile, paradise.
"The land's clear for plowing. Harvest on harvest, a man could reap a healthy stand of grain- the subsoil's dark and rich" (Homer 215).
"There's a snug deep-water harbor there... at the harbor's head there's a spring that rushes fresh from beneath a cave and black poplars flourish round its mouth" (Homer 215).
"The local nymphs, the daughters of Zeus himself, flushed mountian-goats so the crews could make their meal" (Homer 216).
Minoan Civilization The Minoan Civilization was on the island of Crete. This country flourished from 2600's, to 1200's B.C. It was eventually destroyed by an earthquake. It was one of the top Greek civilizations. This civilization existed in three main eras: Early Minoan, Middle Minoan, and Late Minoan. Much of what we know comes from an archeologist names Sir Arthur Evans that excavated from 1900-1931. The Minoans fought for the Mediterranean with the Mycenaean, another civilization on Crete. The Minoan civilization had a unique culture. They have a more specialized religion and different writing style. Some writings still have not been decoded.
In the One-Eyed Giant's Cave
Index
Synopsis
On his way back from Troy, Odysseus encounters many obstacles including his voyage to the Land of the Lotus Eaters, temptation of the Sirens, and a fight with a sea monster. In book 9 however,
Odysseus and his men end up in the land of the Cyclops. The men end up getting trapped in the cave by Polyphemus, the Cyclops. They escape by poking Polyphemus' eye out. However, Odysseus still takes the time to brag and make fun of Polyphemus. Polyphemus tells the god Poseidon how Odysseus poked his eye out and mocked him, so Poseidon he makes the journey back for Odysseus even more difficult. The theme for this book is to not have hurbis, as that is one of the main reasons why Poseidon is angry at Odysseus.
Character
One of the main characters Odysseus meets is the Cyclops. The Cyclops name is Polyphemus which means “everywhere famous”. Polyphemus is the son of the god of the seas, Poseidon. Polyphemus is a significant character because he traps Odysseus in his cave and then Odysseus stabs Polyphemus in his eye. This encounter with Polyphemus slows down Odysseus’s journey, because position is angered by Odysseus actions. Polyphemus doesn’t show up in any of the other books.
“The hearts inside us shook, terrified by his rumbling voice and monstrous hulk” (Homer 219).
“So we seized our stake with its fiery tip and bored round and round in the giant eye till blood came boiling up around that smoking shaft and the hot blast singed his brow and eyelids round the core and the broiling eyeball burst” (Homer 223).
“Hear me Poseidon, god of the sea-blue mane who rocks the earth! If I am your son and you claim to be my father come, grant that Odysseus, raider of cites, Laertes' son who makes his way home to Ithaca, never reaches home” (Homer 228).
Characters in book 9
Odysseus: Son of Laertes, king of ithaca main character in the Odyssey.
Cicones: Trojan alies living in thrace.
Zeus: God of sky and weather, king of gods.
Posieden: God of seas.
Polyphemus: The cyclops son of Posieden.
Structure
In book 9, Odysseus is talking about his encounter with Polyphemus with the Phaeacians. Therefore this is a flashback. This is a flashback because he is talking about events that transpired in the past. Another example of figurative language used is stock epithets. The very title of Book 9 In the One eyed Giants cave is a stock epithet because The one eyed giant is obviously the Cyclops, Polyphemus. Another example of a Stock Epithet is the god of the sea-blue mane; this means Poseidon, because he is the god of the sea hence, sea-blue mane.
Geography
During the book In the One-Eyed Giant's Cave, Odysseus doesn't meet the Cyclops right away. It occurs after Odysseus is tempted by Calypso, his men plunder Ismarus, and get tricked by the Lotus-eaters. Eventually they are stranded on a remote island belonging to the hungry Cyclops. The island is beautiful, fertile, paradise.
"The land's clear for plowing. Harvest on harvest, a man could reap a healthy stand of grain- the subsoil's dark and rich" (Homer 215).
"There's a snug deep-water harbor there... at the harbor's head there's a spring that rushes fresh from beneath a cave and black poplars flourish round its mouth" (Homer 215).
"The local nymphs, the daughters of Zeus himself, flushed mountian-goats so the crews could make their meal" (Homer 216).
Minoan Civilization
The Minoan Civilization was on the island of Crete. This country flourished from 2600's, to 1200's B.C. It was eventually destroyed by an earthquake. It was one of the top Greek civilizations. This civilization existed in three main eras: Early Minoan, Middle Minoan, and Late Minoan. Much of what we know comes from an archeologist names Sir Arthur Evans that excavated from 1900-1931. The Minoans fought for the Mediterranean with the Mycenaean, another civilization on Crete.
The Minoan civilization had a unique culture. They have a more specialized religion and different writing style. Some writings still have not been decoded.